(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator opener and, more particularly, to an automated refrigerator opener that is operable for breaking the seal on a refrigerator and, thereafter, safely opening the refrigerator.
(2) Description of Related Art
A refrigerator is a cooling appliance that is used to transfer heat from its interior to the external environment. In doing so, the interior of the refrigerator cools to a temperature that is below the ambient temperature. By cooling the interior, food can be stored therein to prolong the life of the food and reduce the rate of spoilage. The process of transferring heat from the interior of the refrigerator to cool the appliance requires a certain amount of energy. Due to the energy requirements for “cooling,” it is desirable to seal the refrigerator so that the cool air is not lost and that the sub-ambient temperature of the interior can be maintained.
To prevent loss of cool air, typical refrigerators come with a sealing mechanism to seal the refrigerator's door against its casing or frame. In other words, the interior of the refrigerator is commonly accessed through a refrigerator door that is hingedly connected with a door casing. To prevent air from seeping around the edges of the door, the door casing is commonly formed of a metallic material and a magnetic seal is wrapped around the door. Thus, when the door is closed, the magnetic seal creates an air-tight seal with the metallic door casing.
The magnetic attraction between the magnetic seal and the metallic door casing can sometimes make the refrigerator difficult to open. This can be compounded due to the refrigerator operations, which can create a pressure differential between the interior and ambient pressure. In other words, as the refrigerator is cooled, a negative pressure can sometimes be created within the refrigerator, further maintaining the refrigerator door against the door casing.
Thus, to open the door, a user must first break the door seal. In older refrigerators with worn out magnetic seals, this is often easy. However, in some newer refrigerators, the door seal can be very strong and, in some cases, extremely difficult to break.
In order to break the seal, the user must inherently use their hands and pull upon the door. However, in some circumstances, the user's hands are full of food and/or other items, which requires the user to free their hands before attempting to access the refrigerator.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a hands-free automated refrigerator opener that is operable for breaking the door seal and opening the refrigerator door.